Schedule a night flight

Flying into Vegas at night and seeing all the bright lights of The Strip is such a mesmerizing experience. This leads you with just enough time to grab dinner and a drink without fully exhausting yourself. This way you are ready to go on day 2. Getting to Vegas too early on the first day and dealing with jet lag is not a pleasant experience. Any first time visitors will definitely want to arrive at night for a truly memorable & exhilarating start to an exciting vacation.

Avoid holiday weekends – at all costs!!

Bellagio Gardens at Christmas
Walking through the Bellagio Gardens at Christmas time is a magical winter wonderland, although so overcrowded!

Trust me, it is not worth planning your Vegas vacation around any holiday. If you hate crowds & overpriced everything, definitely skip Christmas-New Years week & Valentine’s weekend. At these times, lines are hideous, everything is overpriced, and the crowding along The Strip is simply unbearable and impossible to navigate through.

Gondola rides at the Venetian in Vegas
The insane line for the Venetian gondola ride during the Christmas-New Year’s holiday period.

Double check your hotel’s check in policy

To avoid extra fees, check your resort’s early check in policy. Many resorts charge to check-in prior to an hour before official check in time. Many resorts are now charging anywhere between $15-30 for check ins before Noon.

Pack light & stay organized

Create a hassle-free travel experience by incorporating mix and match outfits, the use of packing cubes, and travel sized versions of cosmetics. Anything you can do to conserve space means less luggage to lug around, through the airports, in the taxis and shuttles, and around the casino to your hotel room.

Download handy apps

Having access to great apps can make all the difference between an overwhelming trip versus a fun filled vacation. There are endless apps out there to choose amongst. A trip to Vegas can be an overwhelming experience without some extra help! Check out these great Vegas apps to take a bit of stress out of your vacation.

Check show reviews

Terry Fator show in Vegas
Terry Fator is one of the most popular shows on The Strip. A bit overrated in my opinion. Although the majority of reviews are positive, it always helps to check the negative.

Always check reviews of shows before committing to such a big purchase. One of the top reviewed shows (and my personal favorite as well) is the Mac King Comedy Magic Show. Totally affordable, funny, and mysterious all at the same time! Don’t waste your money on super expensive, low rated shows! Scan reviews on sites like Trip Advisor and Yelp to avoid major disappointment.

Where to stay in Vegas

Mirage volcano show in Las Vegas
The Mirage is one of the best values on The Strip. Pricing is generally affordable, rooms are clean, it is not overly congested, and is located within close proximity to the best attractions.

Skip the suites and Strip view rooms

Great views of The Strip from the Eiffel Tower Experience in Vegas
Fantastic budget friendly views of the Strip at night are easy to find. Check out the fabulous Eiffel Tower Experience which is usually on Groupon or at the Tix 4 Tonite booth. Skip the overpriced hotel rooms! No need to sit in the room in a city with this much entertainment 24/7!

Unless you are going to be sitting in your room all day (and why would you in Vegas of all places!?) a Strip view room or suite is worthless. In this case, an extra charge you do not need to be paying. By the time you are done with all your Strip activities for the day, you will likely collapse in the bed some time after Midnight anyways, making the view worthless. And thus, all that extra money goes to waste! By the time I am done pushing through the crowds, walking endless miles, and putting up with constant bright lights and advertisements, I am just ready to get back to the room and go to sleep!

Don’t be too picky about your hotel, especially in the winter

Palms Place hotel room in Las Vegas
Palms Place offers nice affordable rooms if you are willing to stay off The Strip.

Most likely, you will not be in the hotel or hotel room all that much. And, if you are, then boy are you wasting your time in Vegas!! There is so much exploring to do, great restaurants to try out, shows to see, etc. that there is really no point in paying hundreds of extra dollars for nothing. This is especially the case during the winter season when the majority of the pools are closed. As a great pool is one of the major perks of choosing one Strip hotel over the other, there really is no reason to opt for a fancy hotel over a moderate one in the winter season.

Here are the top resorts to consider if you are looking for the best pool

Mirage pool

On any summer visit to Vegas where temps frequently soar into the 100’s, a fantastic pool atmosphere is a must! And of course, Vegas is well known for their crazy pool parties (if that’s your style). Not to mention, you actually get to feel like that super pricey resort fee is worth something! The Mirage, Mandalay Bay, The Flamingo, Caesars Palace, and MGM Grand all have pretty fantastic pools. To beat the daytime summer heat, a great pool atmosphere is a necessity. Update: The Mirage will close in 2023.